Sheetala Saptami 2026: Date, Puja Timings and Basoda Tradition

The festival of Sheetala Saptami 2026 observed a few days after Holi carries a deep message of health, coolness and divine protection. This day is not limited to ritual worship. It is connected with the wellbeing of children, the purification of surroundings and the cultivation of simplicity in daily life.

In the year 2026 Sheetala Saptami will be observed on Tuesday, 10 March 2026. The main Puja period extends from morning until evening. For practical purposes the auspicious Sheetala Saptami Puja Muhurat is taken as around 07:00 AM to 06:30 PM, giving about 11 hours 30 minutes for worship and observances. According to the Panchang Saptami Tithi will begin late on 9 March 2026, Monday at about 11:30 PM and will end on 11 March 2026, Wednesday at about 01:50 AM, therefore the central date for the vrat and Basoda customs will be 10 March. The next day 11 March 2026, Wednesday will be observed in many places as Sheetala Ashtami.

Sheetala Saptami 2026: date and Saptami Tithi timings

Understanding the exact date and duration of Saptami Tithi helps devotees plan the vrat, Puja and Basoda food preparations more thoughtfully.

Sheetala Saptami 2026: date, Puja Muhurat and Saptami span

Detail	Date and time
Sheetala Saptami	10 March 2026, Tuesday
Sheetala Saptami Puja time	around 07:00 AM to 06:30 PM
Approximate Puja duration	about 11 hours 30 minutes
Sheetala Ashtami	11 March 2026, Wednesday
Saptami Tithi begins	9 March 2026, Monday, about 11:30 PM
Saptami Tithi ends	11 March 2026, Wednesday, about 01:50 AM

Since Saptami Tithi runs through the daytime of 10 March, that date is accepted for the main observance of Sheetala Saptami.

What is Sheetala Saptami and when is it observed

On which date will Sheetala Saptami 2026 be observed

Sheetala Saptami is traditionally observed around the seventh day after Holi. In 2026 the festival will fall on 10 March, Tuesday. The day holds special importance for families that seek

• good health for children,
• protection from contagious diseases,
• and overall wellbeing of the household.

Why is Sheetala Saptami also called Basoda

In many regions Sheetala Saptami is known as Basoda, from a word meaning previously prepared food. On this day

• lighting the stove or cooking fresh food is avoided,
• meals are prepared on the previous day, before Sheetala Saptami,
• and on Saptami only cold food cooked earlier is offered to the Goddess and then eaten as Prasad.

This practice symbolically

• reduces the use of fire for a day,
• allows the body and surroundings to rest,
• and is understood as a way of lowering the risk of spreading infectious diseases.

Sheetala Saptami 2026 in different regions of India

Western and northern states

The observance of Sheetala Saptami is especially prominent in

• Gujarat,
• Rajasthan,
• Uttar Pradesh,

though awareness of the festival has spread more widely over time. In these states

• women wake early and prepare for the Puja of Sheetala Mata,
• meals such as puri, vegetables, sweets, rice, lentils and curry are cooked on the previous day and kept carefully,
• on Saptami these same dishes are offered to the Goddess and then shared as Prasad among family members.

Gujarat and the post Janmashtami Sheetala observance

In Gujarat the tradition of worshipping Sheetala Mata can be seen in two main ways.

• One observance connects her with the Sheetala Saptami after Holi,
• another occurs seven days after Janmashtami, also dedicated to Sheetala Mata.

On both occasions

• fresh cooking is avoided,
• previously prepared food is offered as Bhog and then taken as Prasad.

This shows that in Gujarat the relationship with Sheetala Mata is not restricted to one season but extends into other important points of the year.

Southern forms of the Goddess: Poleramma and Mariamman

In the southern parts of India the energy of Sheetala Mata is honoured under names such as

• Poleramma,
• Mariamman.

Through these forms devotees pray for

• protection from epidemics,
• health of village communities and cattle,
• safety of crops and seasonal balance.

While the names differ, the central feeling remains that the Goddess with cooling power shields families and villages from outbreaks of disease.

Rituals and vrat traditions of Sheetala Saptami 2026

Main rules followed on Sheetala Saptami

Certain key disciplines are observed on Sheetala Saptami.

• Food is cooked on the day before the festival.
• On Saptami the stove, oven or gas is not used for cooking.
• Devotees bathe early in the morning and worship Sheetala Mata either in a temple or at a home shrine.
• Throughout the day they eat only cold, already prepared food as Prasad.

Many women observe a vrat, taking only a small amount of food after offering it to the Goddess.

Stepwise Puja method for Sheetala Saptami 2026

Step	What is done
Step 1	Prepare clean food one day before and keep it safely covered
Step 2	Bathe on Saptami morning, preferably with cool water
Step 3	Visit Sheetala Mata temple or worship her at home
Step 4	Offer water, Akshata, turmeric, Kumkum, cloth and Bhog
Step 5	Place a portion of the earlier cooked food as Bhog for the Goddess
Step 6	Listen to or recite Sheetala Saptami Vrat Katha or stuti
Step 7	Pray specifically for the health and protection of children and family

Vrat and the custom of Mundan

In several regions

• children’s mundan or head shaving ceremony is performed on Sheetala Saptami,
• families believe that by offering the first hair to the Goddess, children receive her blessings for strength and health.

Parents often

• bring their children to Sheetala temples,
• offer sweets, toys or small symbolic items,
• and pray for healthy growth and protection from illness.

Scriptural background and spiritual meaning

Origin and mention in Skanda Purana

The importance of Sheetala Saptami is described in texts associated with the Skanda Purana. Sheetala Devi is connected with the forms of

• Goddess Parvati,
• Goddess Durga.

She is regarded as

• the power that can bring outbreaks of smallpox, chickenpox and similar diseases,
• and also the compassionate force that can cool, heal and remove them.

For this reason devotees see her as the presiding deity of contagious diseases and seek her grace for protection.

Meaning of the name Sheetala

The word Sheetala means cool, calming, soothing. This coolness

• points to the reduction of physical heat and fever,
• suggests the easing of mental tension,
• and symbolises the calming of epidemics in the community.

When devotees

• avoid fire for a day,
• follow rules around food and cleanliness,
• and gather with shared intention,

the practices also help reduce the spread of infections. Thus Sheetala Saptami holds a spiritual as well as practical health awareness dimension.

Rural beliefs and changing practices

In some rural traditions

• animal sacrifice was associated in the past with attempts to appease Sheetala Mata,
  though many communities now move towards
• symbolic offerings such as coconuts or gourds.

The essential aim has always been

• to protect villages, livestock and families,
• to reduce the risk of epidemics,
• and to maintain a respectful relationship with the forces of nature represented by the Goddess.

Why women especially keep Sheetala Saptami vrat

The vrat of Sheetala Saptami is widely observed among women.

• Many keep a full fast or eat very lightly.
• Some take only a small amount of the Basoda Prasad after offering it to the Goddess.

Their sankalpa focuses on

• long life and health of children,
• wellbeing of the husband and family,
• and a peaceful, cool and harmonious home atmosphere.

Through the day

• they listen to the Vrat Katha,
• sing bhajans and reflect on the protective aspect of the Divine Mother.

Thus the vrat becomes both an outer discipline and an inner training in patience and devotion.

Inner guidance from Sheetala Saptami 2026

If Sheetala Saptami 2026 is understood not only as a date in the calendar but as a reminder of balance and health, it can become a turning point in daily life.

This festival gently teaches that

• mindful habits in food and cleanliness,
• sincere prayer for family health,
• and respect for healing forces in nature

all contribute to protection from disease and to mental peace.

Families that observe Sheetala Saptami 2026 with

• discipline, gratitude and a sense of shared responsibility

may find that the day remains in memory as a symbol of cool protection, maternal grace and collective wellbeing.

Common questions

What is the date of Sheetala Saptami in 2026 and how long will Saptami Tithi last
Sheetala Saptami in 2026 will fall on Tuesday, 10 March 2026. Saptami Tithi will begin late at night on 9 March 2026 around 11:30 PM and will end on 11 March 2026 around 01:50 AM, so the main day for the vrat and Puja is 10 March.

Why is Sheetala Saptami known as Basoda and why is cooking avoided
It is called Basoda because people do not cook fresh food on this day. Instead they eat food prepared on the previous day after offering it to Sheetala Mata. This honours the rule of avoiding fire and is believed to support rest for the body and help reduce the spread of illnesses.

Which main rituals are performed on Sheetala Saptami
Devotees bathe, usually in cool water, visit Sheetala Mata temples or worship her at home, offer water, Akshata, Kumkum and earlier prepared food, recite the Sheetala Saptami Vrat Katha and pray for the health of children and family members. In some places children’s Mundan is also performed in honour of the Goddess.

How is Goddess Sheetala understood in Hindu tradition
Goddess Sheetala is seen as an aspect of Parvati and Durga. She is associated with both the onset and healing of diseases such as smallpox and chickenpox. Devotees worship her especially to protect children and to seek coolness and relief from fever and epidemics.

In which regions of India is Sheetala Saptami or the worship of Sheetala Mata especially common
Sheetala Saptami is especially observed in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In Gujarat there is also a practice of honouring Sheetala Mata seven days after Janmashtami. In southern India she is worshipped in the forms of Poleramma and Mariamman, where people pray for protection from disease and misfortune.